National Avalanche Director

About the role

This position is located at a Forest Service office. Location is negotiable after selection. The incumbent works as the Director of the Forest Service National Avalanche Center. As the agency lead for the Forest Service's avalanche program, this position has responsibilities for complex, high priority, special projects related to all aspects of the program. For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Scott Haas at (720) 534-7161 or scott.haas@usda.gov. In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards. Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary. In addition to meeting the Specialized Experience requirement, you must also meet the Selection Placement Factors listed below. Basic Requirement: GS-1301: Degree: Physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics. OR Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below. Specialized Experience Requirement: For the GS-13: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12). Specialized experience is defined as two or more of the following: Directed or managed an avalanche mitigation program that regularly uses multiple explosive delivery systems, including projectiles / artillery, fixed installations, and hand charges; Directed a public backcountry avalanche forecasting center that issues Avalanche Forecasts seven days per week and issues Avalanche Warnings via the NWS; Led complex, large-scale avalanche projects, such as: serve on a national or international, collaborative working group to advance avalanche forecasting or mitigation; analyze or design avalanche mitigation or forecasting strategies for significant ski area, industrial, or transportation-focused avalanche programs; lead author on novel avalanche studies or research published in peer-reviewed journals or the proceedings of the International Snow Science Workshop; create technology or methods to significantly advance avalanche hazard analysis, mitigation, or forecasting. Selective Factors (Screen out Elements): Demonstrate expert level knowledge of snow avalanches, avalanche mitigation work, and avalanche forecasting. AND Experience managing complex avalanche related operations. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

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